Wakeup Call
by lja136
Summary: Being a hero is more than just catching bad guys with a bow and arrows. Being a SHIELD agent means more than just sitting in the helicarrier at a computer researching the Avengers. Being Tony Stark leaves you wide open for being teased. Rated for mild language and eventual violence.
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by my oneshot, Charm. Even though this is mostly set in the Earth's Mightiest Heroes universe (Avengers lineup of season 1, Hulk and Banner coming to terms, etc.) there will be some influences from the movies and the comics.

* * *

"Leana Armen!" Fury's voice boomed through the helicarrier. "I need to speak to you."

"Crap," Leana said under her breath. She tried to avoid the wondering stares from the other SHIELD agents as she got up and walked over to where Fury stood. She tried to read his expression, but he wore the same stern look he always did. She had no idea if this was because of something good or something bad. She had a feeling it was the latter. Leana followed Fury into the meeting room, closing the glass door behind her.

"Please have a seat," Fury said, indicating one of the chairs. Leana wordlessly sat down, dreading what was about to happen.

"It has come to my attention that you seem distracted from your duties lately. Is this true?" Fury asked.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Leana said, unable to think of anything else to say. She did not like Fury's stare. It scares her. She always buckled when she was in trouble from someone higher in rank, and there wasn't many higher in rank than Fury. It was always the same reaction: over-heating, face becoming red in embarrassment, and an inability to think which leads her to feign ignorance as a security measure. In this case, it was more of a case of not knowing what exactly Fury was referring to. Memories flashed in Leana's mind of events that could lead Fury to come to this conclusion, but she couldn't really pin one as THE event that would cause this meeting.

"Just last week, I tasked you with sending an email to the press about the Avenger's latest show of strength. The first thing you do when you sit down at the computer is check the internet for information about the fight. Is this correct?"

"Yes," Leana said quietly, nodding.

"And it has come to my attention that you spend more time looking up information about the Avengers than actually working. Have you forgotten that I have access to the browser histories of every computer in the helicarrier?"

"I'm sorry, Director Fury," Leana meekly said, unable to defend herself without making things worse.

"I am afraid that this is unacceptable behavior for a SHIELD agent," Fury stated. "I ask that you leave all your SHIELD gear in your room. You may pack up your things. When you're ready, an agent will be ready to take you where you need."

Leana nodded, before heading over to the bunkers. She managed to keep a straight face as she walked, though it helped that none of the other agents payed her any attention. She was able to take that walk of shame without being embarrassed by everyone's stares or asked by every other person what happened. As soon as Leana was safe in her room, however, with the door closed, the waterworks started. She sat down on the bed, face in her hands, as she reflected on what exactly happened.

Leana had been a member of SHIELD for about a year now. She applied for the job due to being just out of college, no job, and no way to buy a house to get from out from under her parents' roof. The income for being part of SHIELD was moderate, but what sold her was it provided her with a place to stay where she'd be out of her parents' hair.

Soon after she joined, the Avengers assembled for the first time. Billionaire playboy Tony Stark, Thor, god of thunder, The Hulk, the legendary Captain America, Hank Pym, The Wasp, and eventually Black Panther and Hawkeye. She knew that SHIELD was against the idea of superheroes running free and making a mess while saving the world, but that didn't mean Leana had to be against them. She began to look into them, find out who exactly these people were, and what she found, she liked. A lot. One member in particular. She admired Hawkeye, and his place within the Avengers. There he was, standing amongst the strongest one there is, a man of absolute peak physical condition, and a living god for crying out loud... with a bow and arrows. That was it. And he earned his place on the team time and time again.

Every time there was an alien invasion, or an attack on New York, or they're called out to someplace like Wakanda or even Latveria to deal with something or other, Leana would worry about "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" until she found an online article detailing their victory, or returning to New York in one piece. She knew that if anyone would come back in critical condition or even dead, it would most likely be Hawkeye.

And now she was being kicked off the helicarrier because of this fan-crush on what was no more than a celebrity. It's no different than if she was fired for having a crush on Robert Downey Jr. It was embarrassing.

Before too long, Leana had changed out of her SHIELD uniform and left it on her bed along with other SHIELD-issued equipment, her things were packed and she was ready to go to... well, she didn't have anywhere to go, really. She didn't want to just randomly stop by at her parents' house unannounced for who knows how long. Still, she had to get out of there before Fury got mad at her again. She grabbed her two bags and went out onto the helicarrier deck, looking for her shuttle back down to Earth.

"Ready to go, Ms. Armen?" Agent Coulson asked, walking over in his usual formal way. Figures. He was always saddled with the odd jobs.

"Yeah, I managed to get everything to fit," Leana replied, thankful she managed to get her emotions under control. After an emotional breakdown like what she just had, it was a wildcard if she was going to cry again upon opening her mouth. This time, she managed to stay under control. It was probably due in part to Coulson's oddly calming aura. If he ever judges anyone, he never shows it and gives the same face to everyone, regardless of who or what they are or claim to be.

Leana followed Agent Coulson to the small quinjet that he would take her down to Earth in. "Where will I be taking you?" he asked.

"Uh, the Hilton in New York City, I guess. I need to find a place," Leana told him as he helped her get her two bags into the jet.

"Alright."

The ride itself was awkwardly silent. At least, it was for Leana. It was probably pleasantly silent for Coulson.

After Coulson dropped her off at the hotel (the reactions from the other guests regarding a mini-jet landing in he parking lot were rather amusing), Leana got herself checked in and dropped her stuff off in her room. The first thing she did was take her long, brown hair out of the bun that all Female SHIELD agents with long hair wear. That was one thing Leana won't miss about SHIELD - she hated putting her hair up every day. She ran her fingers through her hair, currently more wavy than usual because of the bun, before heading back out.

A few doors over, Leana found a bar. She decided to check it out, feeling instantly out of place. This was a new experience for her. She'd been too busy with SHIELD stuff when she turned 21, so this would be her first time in a bar of any kind. She walked up to the counter and sat at the end of the table. "What will it be?" the bartender asked.

Leana shrugged. "I don't know any of the terms yet. Something weak with a strawberry flavor."

A guy sat next to her, obviously too far gone drunk already. Leana tried to ignore him as he looked her up and down, thankfully stopping at her face instead of anywhere else his eyes could've stopped. "I like me girls with big brown eyes, but it's so hard to come up with a pickup line for brown eyes, y'know?" he asked. It took Leana a moment to realize that he was trying to hit on her in his own drunken way.

"Try chocolate, or deer eyes," Leana replied. She was too nice to tell this guy to leave her be, but she tried to show him through body language that she was NOT interested. Obviously, he didn't take the hint.

"Hey, that's smart! Pretty and smart girl, even better," the man commented. She looked up at the bartender as he handed her a drink, and she gave him the amount of money he asked for. The moment that exchange was over, Leana stood up and walked around a little with her drink to hopefully get away from the creepy man.

Leana noticed a small crowd gathering on the other side of the room. She took a couple sips of her drink as she wandered over to see what the commotion was about.

The first thing she noticed was the crowd itself - mostly girls. Then she noticed the male voice emanating from the middle of the crowd.

"It was even designed with my own sense of humor," the voice said. Leana recognized the voice, but couldn't quite place it. "Now I don't know where I'd be without JARVIS."

Suddenly, realization hit Leana. It sounded like Tony Stark. Did she really just get lucky enough to randomly wander into a bar on the same night as THE Tony Stark, from The Avengers? She managed to weave through the crowd with minimal pushing and shoving (mostly others pushing and shoving her), and sure enough, in the middle of the crowd sat Tony Stark, with a half-drank beer by his hand and an empty bottle nearby.

Leana stood, gaping like all the other girls, until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked around, finding the same guy who had tried to hit on her, now obviously angry.

"That was rude," he stated. "I just wanted to talk, and you just walk away? That's shitty manners."

"I'm sorry. I thought you just wanted advice on how to pick up brown-eyed girls," Leana said in the most innocent voice she could muster.

"That most certainly was not my aim, and you know it," the man said, raising his voice and attracting the attention of some of Tony's group. Leana, however, remained calm.

"Sir, if you expect me to get your intentions, you should be able to get mine. I am not interested," Leana stated. "I tried to be nice about it at first, but you didn't get it."

"That's bull. You weren't nice about it at all!" the man insisted, his voice continuing to grow in volume.

"Get lost," Tony's voice sounded from behind Leana. She couldn't help but swoon, just a little, though she didn't let it show beyond a small smile,

"Just who do you think you are?" the drunk man spat.

"I know exactly who I am. I'm surprised you don't. Tony Stark. Billionaire playboy philanthropist. Iron Man. Ringing any bells?"

The man scowled, seemingly unsure what to make of the situation, before stalking off in defeat.

"Well, that was anti-climactic," Tony commented. "Won't be bothering you any more, or at least shouldn't."

"Thank you," Leana thanked, smiling. "Though, if worst came to worst, I could've dealt with him myself."

"Well, which is more fun: getting into a fight, or having me chase him off?" Tony asked.

"Depends on how much room I'd have to fight."

"Have a name?"

"Leana Armen."

"Name sounds familiar. Have I in the past rescued you or tried to romance you?"

"Well, I'm certainly glad it's not the latter, because then I'd be compelled to slap you for not remembering." Leana laughed a little at her own joke - just a couple sips, and suddenly everything's funny. "Nah, I work at SHIELD. Er, I did. You might recognize my name from something to do with them."

"That could explain things," Tony said, thinking. "What'd you do to get yourself kicked out of that flying cage?"

"Distracted on the job," Leana simply replied. And the less said about THAT the better.

"Ouch, cardinal sin in Fury-land."

"Yeah, so now I'm stuck in a hotel until I can find myself a place to live."

"This may just be the beer talking, but you can live in the Avengers Mansion," Tony suggested. "I'm sure the others wouldn't mind. Trust me, we've had house-guests before, and I can already tell you'd be a saint compared to some of them."

Leana's eyes widened and she grinned. "Really? Thank you so much! I already booked the night at the hotel, so tomorrow?"

Tony nodded. "I'll send Happy over with one of my cars to drive you over. You'll be able to figure out which it is, trust me. Just look for the dwarf."

Leana snorted in laughter. She knew who Happy was and knew that he was not, in fact, a dwarf. "Alright, so how will I find your car, really?"

"Oh trust me, you'll know it when you see it."

"Got it," Leana confirmed with a nod. "You should probably go back to paying attention to your fangirls there. I'm starting to get glares." She walked a little ways so that she was on the outskirts of the group that surrounded Tony and sat down so she could finish her drink, close enough to still be amused by Tony but far enough away to mostly avoid gathering unwanted attention.

Once her drink was finished, she headed back to the hotel to try to get some sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Leana checked out of the hotel and brought her stuff out to the front. She looked around at the vehicles parked on the side of the curb to try to figure out which one was Tony's. This task suddenly became much easier once she payed attention to the license plates, as "Stark 15" isn't exactly subtle, and neither was the man holding the back door open like a limo driver.

"You must be Happy," Leana said, walking over with her bags. "I'm Leana Armen."

"Pleasure to meet you. Let me take your bags for you," Happy offered. He went to the back of the very nice car, pressing a button on a small remote that popped the trunk. Leana watched as Happy carefully loaded her bags into the trunk. Once he finished, she slid into the back seat of the car, behind the passenger seat, since that was the door that was open. Happy closed the door behind her before taking a seat in the driver's seat and pulling out into the road.

"How exactly did you meet Mr. Stark?" Happy asked curiously.

"He helped me chase off a pervert at the bar," Leana told him. "Had him run off before I was able to show him that not all girls are helpless."

"Not exactly how he told it," Happy commented, sounding amused. "He said that he rescued you and he didn't know where you'd be without him."

Leana shook her head. "Only Tony Stark can be so likable while being so arrogant."

The two of them made small talk all the way to the Avengers Mansion. As soon as the car pulled up to the gates, they opened, and Happy drove right up to the doors. He got out of the car and opened the door for Leana, before unloading her things. Leana looked around the mansion grounds, taking in everything. It was a lot bigger than it looked in pictures.

"Thank you," Leana thanked Happy before taking her stuff and walking up to the gates. She was nervous, and already a bit star-struck. These people weren't just celebrities, they were super-powered celebrities. And Leana didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to avoiding being an annoyance.

She set a bag down so she could knock on the door, but even before her hand made contact, it opened and there stood Tony. "Hello there," he greeted, smiling. He pointed up to a small camera above the door showing how he was able to see her walk up. "Come in!" He stepped aside, holding the door wide open for Leana and her bags.

Directly in front of her was a large whiteboard with what she could assume was "WELCOME LEANA" scrawled out on it, with various colored lines and dots around for decoration.

"I made it when I was still drunk, and I didn't want it to go to waste," Tony explained. "Considering in my drunken state, I used permanent markers. It's an ancient relic anyway compared to computers."

Leana laughed. "Thanks again for letting me stay here," she thanked. "It's almost surreal to think that yesterday I was just a fan of the Avengers, and today I'm living with you guys."

"Well, not all of us stay full-time," Tony stated. "Some of us do have our own places, in my case a mansion. Steve, Thor, and Hulk are the full-time residents, as well as T'Challa when he's not off being king in Africa. The others stop by often, though, and sometimes spend the night."

"Awesome," Leana replied. "Is there any way I can repay you?"

"No need," Tony said with a wave. "As long as you clean up after yourself, you'll be fine. Stay as long as you wish."

"If you say that, I might never leave," Leana joked. He watched Tony's reaction for any sign that he was not fond of the idea.

"That's fine. We can use another girl around here."

"Tony? Who's this?" Captain America asked, walking into the entry hall.

"You didn't tell the others about me?" Leana asked Tony.

"I was drunk and it was late!" Tony defended himself.

"I'm Leana. I was kicked out of SHIELD yesterday and Tony offered for me to stay here."

"Steve Rogers." He held out a hand for a handshake, which Leana returned. "You're welcome to call me Steve or Cap. I answer to both."

"Or Star Spangled Man," Tony said in a stage-whisper to Leana, but loud enough for Steve to here.

"Tony, did you not offer to take her stuff up to her room for her?" Steve scolded.

"I was getting around to it!"

Steve walked over and grabbed the larger of the two bags, picking it up as if there was nothing in it. "Tony." He nodded towards the other bag.

"It's okay. I can get it," Leana told him.

"I got it. Cap will not be happy with me if I don't insist." Tony picked up the bag before heading over to the elevator.

"The stairs will be faster, Tony," Steve insisted.

"It's not about haste - it's about comfort."

"Well, Leana probably wouldn't be comfortable crowded in an elevator with two men, so I'm taking the stairs."

"Have fun with that!" Tony chimed as he and Leana stepped onto the elevator. She watched Steve head towards the stairs as the elevator door closed. "Sorry about Cap. He's a bit of a stick in the mud."

"I don't mind," Leana said. "How can I? It's Captain America." There was a small moment of silence, then Leana laughed.

"What's so funny?" Tony asked curiously.

"It's nothing. Don't worry." She didn't want to tell Tony that she just called him and Steve an old married couple in her head. "Just thought of something funny."

The elevator door opened on the second floor, and Steve was already waiting there for the two of them. "This way, Leana," Tony said as he led the way off the elevator. Leana and Steve followed him down the hall to one of the rooms. "And here you go!" He opened the door with his free hand and set the bag he was carrying just inside the door, though out of the way. Steve slid by and set the bag he was carrying further into the room. The room itself was a moderate size, with a bed, nightstand, table, chair, and closet.

"Thank you both," Leana thanked. "And, Tony, could you please tell the others? It'd be awkward to be sitting downstairs and having one of the others just walk in."

"Everyone's here, I think. Some are probably swimming, or watching TV, or something," Tony stated. "I'll give you the tour."

"I'll see you around, Leana," Steve said. "And if Tony ever does something you don't like, let me know." He gave a wave before leaving.

Tony took Leana around the second floor first, since they were already there. He pointed out where the bathroom was located, as well as everyone's rooms. Next he took her upstairs onto the roof, where the pool was located.

As soon as Tony opened the door, Leana heard some splashing around.

"I am telling you, Jan, I do not want to swim. Just sticking my feet in is enough," Hank said.

"I don't want to be the only one swimming," Janet pouted.

"Janet, Hank, meet Leana," Tony announced, making their presence known. "She's going to be staying here for a while."

"Awesome, finally I'm not the only girl!" Janet exclaimed, climbing out of the pool to greet the newcomer. Hank stood up from his spot on the side of the pool. His tanktop seemed pretty wet for refusing to swim, probably due to Janet trying to splash him.

"I'd introduce Hank and I but you probably already know us," Janet said as she, then Hank shook hands with Leana.

"It's nice to meet both of you," Leana greeted, grinning. "I'm a fan of the Avengers, so this is like stepping into a dream for me."

"Even I get that feeling sometimes, too," Janet said. She elbowed Hank in the side. "Say something!"

"Pleasure to meet you, Leana," Hank greeted. "If the others' craziness gets too much to handle, you can hang out in my lab with Jan and I."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks," Leana replied with a nod. She looked at Tony. "Next destination?"

"The downstairs." Tony took Leana back down from the roof, the girl waving farewell to Hank and Janet as she closed the door behind her.

Upon Leana's insistence that she can walk down stairs and didn't have to use the elevator, the two of them did just that. As they went down the last flight of stairs, a dark-skinned man wearing all black turned around the corner to go up the stairs.

"And this is T'Challa. Better known as Black Panther," Tony introduced. "T'Challa, this is Leana. She'll be a new houseguest."

"Welcome," T'Challa greeted with a nod. "I hope you like it here." He then walked past them and up the stairs.

"Don't mind him," Tony said. "He's a man of few words, unless he's in the process of proving me wrong."

"Noted," Leana replied with a nod.

"So, over there's the kitchen, where Hulk is currently eating," Tony pointed out. "Hey, Hulk, come greet our new housemate," he called. The Hulk simply put up a hand in greeting, not even turning to look at Leana. Tony sighed. "When he's eating, he just never gives a damn about anything else. Moving on!" He continued walking, leading Leana into another room, where the two final Avengers were lounging. Hawkeye seemed quite comfortable spread out, taking up the whole couch as he watched TV, while Thor sat on a chair nearby and asked questions about the show, which seemed to annoy Hawkeye.

"Clint, Thor, I'd like you to meet Leana," Tony introduced.

"And which bar did you pick her up in?" Hawkeye asked good-humoredly as he went to get up.

"The usual one, but it's not what you think, Clint," Tony replied. "She was just fired from SHIELD and she needed a place to stay, so I offered for her to stay here."

"Oh, not in your bedroom?"

"Clint, I do not think it kind to tease Tony as such," Thor pointed out as he stood up as well. "You may offend Leana."

"You're lucky I thought it was funny," Leana said, crossing her arms. "It's very nice to meet you guys."

"Pleasure to meet ye as well," Thor replied, while Clint nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure I'm going to have a lot of fun here," Leana said, grinning. "Thanks for the hospitality." This right here was an amazing experience. Right in front of her was Hawkeye himself. Luckily, the only manifestation of this was her grin. "Tour over, Tony?"

"Yep, we covered everything," Tony told her.

"Great! I'm going to go unpack my stuff then. See ya all later!" She gave a wave before she headed to the elevator to go back up to the second floor and into her room.

Leana took her time with unpacking her stuff, making sure everything was right where she wanted it now, even though she new the cleanliness wasn't going to last for very long. When she finished, she headed back downstairs to see how the other Avengers were doing.

"I do not think it is a good idea, Tony," came a voice from the living room. Leana recognized it as T'Challa's. "We don't know anything about her! And we're just going to have her stay here?" Leana stopped. They were talking about her! And, from the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like they were all very happy. She stood against the wall by the door to listen in.

"She needed a place to stay, and we have plenty of room here," Tony defended himself.

"I see where Tony's coming from, and I would probably do the same," Steve stated. "But, Tony, you should've at least warned us. It's kind of a big deal to have a new person move in indefinitely!"

"Oh, come on! I was drunk!" Tony stated. "I would've forgotten my own name if I weren't so famous."

"How do we know she is who she claims to be?" Clint asked. "Anyone could claim to be a former SHIELD agent. Trust me on that one."

"Look, I still have SHIELD files here. I can check to see if she's in the system," Tony said.

"And even if she is, how do we know she's telling the truth about why she was fired? 'Distracted on the job' seems very vague," T'Challa pointed out.

"You guys are so cynical!" Janet chimed in. "You act like everyone we don't know is a threat. Can't we just trust her?"

"Jan, you just want another girl around here," Hank told her. "In my opinion, yes, I see the risks. We can just have JARVIS watch and report if he sees anything suspicious. I'm with Steve in that it was a generous offer, though it would've been better if Tony had let us know ahead of time."

"That seems reasonable," Tony agreed with a nod. "I'll have JARVIS keep an eye on her, while I do a bit of a background check."

Since the meeting seemed to be over and Leana didn't want to be caught eavesdropping, she hurried over to the kitchen to get herself a snack. She should've known that the others wouldn't instantly like her. The thought just never crossed her mind, since everyone was being so polite.


	3. Chapter 3

New chapter! Finally! I had run into a bit of writer's block with this one, since I hadn't planned the second part of this chapter out very well. I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter, though. It'll be fun, and there will be a few surprises~

* * *

Later that day, the Avengers mansion had a visitor. "Oh, hey, Fury," Tony greeted, opening the door. "Whatever you're here for, I didn't do it!"

Leana was currently in the living room, watching TV with Clint and Janet. When she heard Fury's name, she felt her heart skip a beat. "Oh, crap. Did I do something to piss him off again?" she mused aloud.

"What'd you do the first time?" Clint asked.

Leana opened her mouth to try to skillfully avoid his question, but Tony led Fury into the room, making it so she didn't have to.

"Hi," Leana greeted, a strained smile on her face.

"Leana, I'm here to pick up loose ends," Fury stated. "I can't fire a person from SHIELD without taking a few precautions. I have already changed all the SHIELD passcodes, so even if you were to tell someone, it would be of no consequence. However, I still need to have you sworn to secrecy. Barton! Please turn off the TV."

"Got it," Clint chimed, pressing the mute button on the remote.

"I said off. Not mute," Fury said without even looking.

Clint opened his mouth to protest, but closed it when Fury gave him a glare and turned the TV off without another word.

"I need to learn that trick," Tony mused to himself.

Ignoring the Avengers around him, Fury trained his eye on Leana. "You know the drill. Right hand," he instructed. Leana held up her hand in the classic position. "Repeat after me. I, Leana Armen," he paused.

"I, Leana Armen," Leana parroted.

"Swear to never utter a word of what I learned as an agent of SHIELD," another pause, in which Leana copied Fury's words. "Under the penalty of death." Again, Leana copied what Fury said. When Fury lowered his own hand, Leana did the same.

"Uh, Fury, can I have a word?" Tony asked. Fury gave a nod, and Tony led him into the currently-empty dining room, out of earshot from those in the living room.

"Well, that was NOT fun," Leana commented, taking a breath to try to calm her heart back down.

"Fury has that effect on people," Clint stated. "I'm surprised, though. You got off lucky. Usually there's more threats and glares. Apparently what you did wasn't too bad."

"Coulda fooled me," Leana replied. She was having flashbacks to when she was fired, and even though she was more successful at not showing her emotions than last time, the slightest push could change that.

"You got out alive. That's always good!" Janet chimed.

Meanwhile, Tony was doing his little background check on the Avengers' new housemate. "I took Leana in on impulse, and now I'm under fire from the others about not thinking of the risks. What can you tell me about Leana?"

Fury sighed, shaking his head. "I have every reason to not give you information," he said. "But, to make this as painless as possible... She was a good agent, but she was too easily distracted from her duties, and she picked up an obsession that I quite frankly frowned upon."

"And this obsession would be...?" Tony prompted.

Fury stared at the pain in the neck in front of him, wondering how much he should say. He figured it would be for the best to be upfront and to not risk Tony trying to hack into the SHIELD mainframe. Again. "The exploits of the Avengers. She was more interested in reading news articles about you than doing her job."

"Any member in partic-"

"Tony!"

"Hey, I was just curious!"

"Bye, Tony." He turned around and walked out the door.

"Well?" Steve asked, walking into the room and leaning on the doorway. He had heard just enough of the conversation to figure out what was going on.

"She checks out," Tony said, giving a thumbs-up. "Just an Avengers fangirl."

"I'll let the others know," Steve said before leaving the room. He peeked into the living room. "Clint," he called, waving the archer over.

With Clint now out of earshot, it was just Janet and Leana. "What do you think they're talking about?" Leana asked curiously.

"No clue," Janet replied, with a shrug. "Could be anything."

Clint gave a nod, before returning to the group, giving a smile.

"Well, we can rule out 'getting in trouble'," Janet commented.

"Ready to get back to our show?" Clint asked, plopping down on the couch. Leana couldn't help but notice how close he ended up sitting to her, and she felt the temperature rise in her cheeks. Janet seemed to notice, too, as Leana noticed her hold back a laugh.

* * *

The next morning, Leana was in the middle of eating breakfast. She was by herself, as it was already late in the morning and the others who take up residence in the mansion had already finished eating and were going about their business: T'Challa and Steve were training, Hulk was watching TV, and Thor was out and about in the city.

She was chewing her last bite when Janet walked in. "Hey, Leana!" she greeted. Leana waved, swallowing the last of her food.

"Good morning. What brings you to the mansion this early?" Leana asked.

"The pool," Janet replied, pointing up. "Summer's ending soon, and I want to take as much pool time as I can get. You like to swim?"

"Love it, but I don't have a swimsuit."

"No problem! I keep an extra in my room here. We seem about the same size."

After washing her plate, Leana followed Janet upstairs, and changed into the bikini that was given to her.

"Hey, it fits!" Janet exclaimed, before pulling Leana upstairs to the pool. The two of them jumped right in, shivering a little until they got used to the temperature.

"How are you liking it here so far?" Janet asked.

"It's a lot of fun! Everyone's so nice. Well, T'Challa keeps to himself more than the others, but he's polite when I do see him."

"Yeah, he's the anti-social one of the team. Every superhero team has one of those," Janet said.

"I've noticed."

Janet's smile turned into a devious smirk. Leana recognized this as the "time to press buttons and see how much we can get the new friend to spill" smirk. She's seen it a million times, and probably wore it several times as well. She didn't mind, however. She was pretty open when it came to this game.

"So, I know you're a fan of the Avengers. Anyone in particular?" Janet asked.

Leana knew exactly where this is going. Still, she walked straight into her trap. "Hawkeye, actually."

Janet laughed. "Thought so. You were blushing yesterday when he sat next to you." Her voice took up a slight sing-song, teasing quality to it.

Leana gave a pout. "I can't help it!" she jokingly complained. "He's awesome."

"What about me? I'm awesome too! Oh, I know," Janet pretended to have a revelation. "It's because he's attractive."

Leana let herself sink underwater just enough to get her cheeks under to cool them, while still keeping her eyes above the surface.

"I saw that!" Janet teased.

Leana came up for air. "Well, what about you?" she asked. "Being the only girl on a team of guys, you have your pick."

Janet shrugged. "I like Hank, and I think he likes me, but he doesn't know how to show it unless I'm hurt or otherwise knocked unconscious."

"Am I interrupting something?" Clint asked, walking through the door wearing swim trunks and a T-Shirt.

"Not at all, Clint!" Janet said, welcome for the distraction from the current topic of conversation.

"This is starting to turn into a pool party," Leana commented.

Janet shook her head. "It's not a pool party until Tony decides to show up."

Clint slipped his shirt off. Leana couldn't help but look. However, she started laughing when she noticed something. "A farmer's tan, really?" she asked.

"Hey, not my fault most of the sun I get is in my uniform," Clint pointed out. "Enjoying the view?"

"I probably would be... if your tan lines weren't so distracting."

Clint stuck his tongue out, before jumping into the pool, making sure to do so in a way that he'd splash the two girls. Of course, being Clint, he didn't miss. As soon as he surfaced, Leana splashed him back, and the three of them started laughing.

"So, what were you talking about before I showed up?" Clint asked.

"Girl stuff," Leana and Janet replied in unison.

Clint rolled his eyes. "Girls and their secrets," he said, shaking his head.

"If you like, we could continue our conversation," Janet offered, before smiling at Leana. Leana silently begged Janet not to tell Clint what she said about him. To her relief, though, Janet had another plan. "So, haven't you noticed a lot of guys in show business named Chris are really hot? I mean, seriously, Chris Pine, Chris Evans..."

Leana laughed. "Those two look so alike they could almost be brothers!"

"I'm sorry I asked," Clint commented, which was met with laughs from the two girls. Janet held her hand up for a high-five, which Leana happily returned.

"So, Leann, you never told us where you're from," Janet pointed out.

"West coast. Oregon," Leana replied. "Far away from all the craziness that happens here."

"You call it craziness. We call it excitement," Clint stated.

"Excitement that puts lives at risk. Still, things get boring at home."

"Worried about us?" Clint teased.

Leana was surprised at how close this came to why she was fired from SHIELD, though she laughed it off. "I know you guys can take care of yourselves," she said.

"Hey, Clint, weren't you planning on going out on the town tonight?" Janet asked.

"Yeah," Clint replied. "Provided no one attacks. I need a break."

"Why don't you take Leana? Show her around some?" Janet suggested.

Clint looked at Leana. "Would you like to?" he asked.

Leana grinned. "Of course!"

"I'm going to head out after dinner," Clint told her. "Be ready, or I'm leaving you behind."


	4. Chapter 4

I apologise in advance. In this chapter, Leana and Clint go to a bar. As I am 18, I've never been to a bar myself. The only bars I've seen are in movies and TV shows, so I have no idea how accurate my portrayal of them really is.

As a separate note, I appreciate all the comments I've been recieving. They really motivate me to keep on writing this fanfic. I'm constantly re-reading them!

* * *

After she and Janet finished swimming, Leana had taken a quick shower, changed into a pair of jeans and a nice shirt, and put on a little more makeup than usual (which still wasn't very much) in preparation for later.

Meanwhile, the Avengers got word that Batroc the Leaper was out and about, causing havoc. Due to him being such an easy villain to detain, only a couple Avengers were sent out: Cap, Iron Man, and Hawkeye. Iron Man carried Captain America as he flew, searching for the villain, while Hawkeye rode his skycycle.

They found Batroc in an alley between two buildings, but it looked like someone else beat them to the punch. The three Avengers were silent as they landed, looking at the scene. Batroc was slumped against a wall, unconscious, an arrow through his right shoulder, presumably pinning him against the wall. He was cut up and burned badly, and there were signs of a hand-to-hand struggle. The area was littered with arrows, some of them showing signs of detonation.

Of course, Tony and Steve immediately looked at Hawkeye.

"You guys really think I did this?" Clint asked. He picked up an arrow, inspecting it. "Not my arrows, not my aim, and aside from that, I was in the pool until now."

"He's still alive, but just barely," Tony reported. "Vitals weak."

"We have to get him to the hospital," Steve stated, going over and trying to yank the arrow pinning him to the wall out of the brick.

"Why? He's a criminal," Clint pointed out. "Why should we save his life?"

"No one deserves to die if it can be helped," Steve replied. He finally managed to break the arrow head from the shaft, allowing him to pick up Batroc. He was careful to move the arrow shaft as little as possible, for fear of hitting something important or causing too much blood loss.

"Tony, you take Batroc to the hospital," Steve said, handing the limp body over. "I'll ride with Clint."

"Will do, Cap," Tony said before taking off.

Steve and Clint, however, hung back at the scene. "Have any idea who it could be?" Steve asked.

Clint shook his head. "Not every archer knows each other, you know," he stated as he inspected the arrows. "The only archer I know with this much skill is Trick Shot, but he wouldn't have anything to gain from killing a villain, especially one this pathetic."

"It looks like someone's trying to be a hero, but took things a little overboard."

"Yeah, and Trick Shot was definitely not hero material in the slightest. I know, I spent years training with the guy. Wouldn't even try unless there's monetary gain, which for Batroc, there's not."

"Seems like it's someone new, then. A fan of yours, maybe."

"If so, they need to stop." Clint crossed his arms. People say imitation is the best form of flattery, but Clint saw several potential problems with this form of imitation.

"We'll stop them, just as soon as we figure out who it is."

"Think we should meet back up with Tony?" Clint asked.

"Not a bad plan," Steve agreed, getting on the back of the skycycle seat. However, before Clint joined him, he picked up a few arrows and put them in his quiver for lack of a better place, hoping to learn more about whoever this was. He then got on his skycycle to head off towards the hospital.

* * *

Leana waited for Clint. It was currently 5:30, and the archer was still eating dinner. Leana had eaten an early dinner that day, because she was excited to go out on the town with Clint, and she didn't want to keep him waiting.

Thankfully before too long, Clint was ready to go as well. He walked over to where Leana was waiting. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yep!" she replied, standing up out of the chair, trying not to mess up her hair. Though, she knew it would be in vain, because her hair always found a way to get messed up again.

Clint led Leana to the mansion's garage, and the two of them got into a car, Clint driving. "Have anywhere specific you want to go?" he asked, driving out of the garage.

Leana shrugged and shook her head. "I have no idea what's around," she replied. "Somewhere tame, though. I'm still not used to nightlife stuff. My first time at a bar was when Tony found me."

"Oh, but tame isn't as fun," Clint teased. "I'm just kidding. I can do tame. There's a bar over here that I go to occasionally." He turned down a side road, and Leana stared out the window, looking around at the scenery as they passed by. They soon found the place Clint was talking about.

This bar was bigger than the one Tony found her in, and this one actually had a decently-sized dance floor. Leana was a little more adventurous with the drinks this time around, but was careful not to get more than a little buzzed. Clint, as the driver, limited himself to one drink, right after they got there. Still not the safest option, but better than most.

She was currently sipping her second drink when she noticed Clint flirting with another of the bar patrons. This upset Leana way more than it should have.

"No, but seriously, you're really cute!" he told her, getting a giggle in reply. Leana glared at the woman, though she looked away when the woman seemed to notice her.

"Do you know who that girl is?" the woman quietly asked Clint, indicating Leana. "I think she was glaring at me."

Clint nodded. "Yeah, she's a friend," he told her. He seemed to notice that something wasn't right. "I'll be right back." He walked over to where Leana sat, and was greeted by a small smile from the girl. "Something wrong? You were sulking."

"No, I'm fine," Leana replied in a cheerful voice.

"Alright," he accepted the excuse, even though he didn't believe it. "Let me know if you get bored of this place." He returned to his new friend, and back to flirting.

After a little bit, Leana noticed that Clint was now dancing with that same woman. She couldn't even glare at the two of them - she hated the sight of it so much. She stared at her half-drunk cocktail, guessing that the alcohol was what was making her more emotional than normal, but there wasn't really much she could do about it.

Clint walked over to her after the song, the girl he was with right behind. "Leana. You're on the verge of tears. Something's wrong," he stated. "Is someone bothering you?"

"Her," Leana said quietly before she could stop herself.

"Did she just say me?" the woman asked.

"She's done nothing wrong, Leana," Clint said, getting angry. "We're just having fun, and you're sour mood is spoiling everyone's fun time, including your own!"

"You brought me here, and then you ignore me for some blonde-" she yelled, stopping herself before she said anything that would dig her into a deeper hole.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to stay by your side and not socialize," Clint's own voice rose to match the tone of Leana's. "Newsflash, you aren't my girlfriend, and I can flirt with whoever the hell I want. Stop acting like we're together." He turned around and stormed out of the bar, leaving Leana shocked. She stared at the door, wide-eyed and hand covering her mouth. She heard the sound of a car door closing and the car driving away. The blonde with whom Clint was flirting with just walked back out into the mass of patrons, which only made things worse for Leana. No apology, no consolation, nothing. She would've even preferred more yelling over just being ignored, like she wasn't even there.

She buried her face into her arms, which were resting on the table and began to cry. She managed to get her crush mad at her, and now she lacked a ride as well. She couldn't even call for one of the other Avengers to get her, since she didn't have a phone and didn't know any of their numbers anyway. And it wasn't like she was about to ask anyone there to give her a ride. She was stuck walking home.

She didn't get going right away, though. She sat there crying until she she couldn't cry any more. She lifted her head to see a couple patrons staring curiously at her. "Go away!" she snapped, suddenly self-conscious about her red, blotchy face from the crying and her messy hair. However, they didn't go away like she wished, so Leana figured now would be as good a time as any to leave.

She walked out of the bar and turned down the road in the direction she seemed to remember she and Clint coming from when they showed up. She had no idea where exactly she was from the mansion, but she planned to wander and try to find it.

Right after she had this thought, a taxi drove by, and Leana suddenly remembered that was also an option. She reached into her purse, and pulled out her wallet, cursing under her breath when she saw that she only had one dollar left of the money she brought with her - not enough for a cab. She hadn't grabbed very much money in order to limit how many drinks she could buy, and also limit how much a thief would be able to steal should that happen. That's also why she didn't have any credit or debit cards with her.

This just wasn't her night.

She turned down a road that looked familiar, though after walking a little bit, she was faced with a pair of guys. They walked up to her. "What's a little girlie doing out, alone so late?" one of the men asked. Leana did not like their expressions.

"Just trying to get home," Leana replied, backing away. "I think I took a wrong turn."

"Nonsense!" the other man exclaimed, grabbing her arm. Leana cried out, his sudden grip trying to bend her bone in a place it isn't supposed to bend. "Why don't you come home with us?"

Right about now, Leana was regretting only taking the minimum amount of self-defense training required for a SHIELD tech. She tried twisting her arm around to get him to lose his grip, but he was too strong and this only succeeded in making her eventual bruise worse. Time for plan B. Leana struck out with her left foot, aiming a kick between the guy's legs. That did the trick, but before she could get away, his friend punched her in the face. She let out a pained squeak and fell, scraping her hands and knees on the cement.

"Nobody hurts my friend, especially not a girl." he spat out the last word.

Leana got back up, wiping the dirt from the cement off her hands. Her eye where she was punched was already beginning to throb. "If you don't want a kick too, I'd suggest letting me through."

The man thought for a moment. "Fine," he reluctantly relented. Leana walked past, however, before she could get far, the man had grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked, causing Leana to fall back. Then let out the loudest scream she could muster. This attracted the attention of the people in the buildings, as well as, thankfully, a nearby police officer.

When the two men heard the sirens, they promptly forgot about Leana and darted off. The police officer drove up and rolled his window down. "Miss, are you okay?" he asked.

"I'll survive," Leana replied. "Thank you."

"What are you doing out so late by yourself? It's dangerous."

"I went to a bar with a friend, but he and I got into an argument and he drove off, leaving me without a ride or enough money to get a cab."

"Come on in." The officer indicated the passenger seat. "I'll drive you home."

"Thank you so much," Leana thanked, climbing in. "What about the two guys who harassed me?"

"I saw what building they went into. A simple call to the station, and they'll be flushed out in no time. So, where do you live?"

Leana gave a sheepish smile. "Would you believe the Avengers mansion?" she asked.

"As in, in the mansion itself, or a building nearby?"

"The mansion itself. Long story."

"I'll drop you off in front of the mansion, then, if that's what you want." He made the call to the station as he drove off, instructing them what the men looked like and what building they were in. He then put his radio transmitter down. "And your friend, he's not drunk driving, is he?"

"No, I don't think so. His first and only drink was probably an hour or ago, and wasn't that strong. And he's not exactly a lightweight, either. He's probably home by now anyways."

The rest of the ride was in silence, until the police car rolled to a stop in front of the Avengers mansion. "I'm going to keep an eye on you until you're safe and sound inside."

"Thank you so much," Leana thanked again before getting out of the car. She walked quickly up to the door and knocked.

"Identification confirmed. Welcome, Leana," JARVIS's voice was heard, before the lock clicked open. She walked in, waving to the police officer to show she was alright now. He drove off.

"Leana! You look as though you lost a battle! What happened?" Thor asked. He was by himself in the living-room of the mansion, sitting on the couch.

Leana walked over and leaned on the arm of the couch. "Got into a fight with two men. A police officer chased them away, though."

"Where was Clint?"

"Home, I'm guessing. He and I had a fight and he left." By this point, tears were fighting to spill out over her face again.

"I shall have a word with Clint. This is no way to treat a lady!"

"I'm going to bed," Leana stated, getting up and heading to the elevator. Along the way, however, she passed Steve.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Ask Thor. I'm not explaining it again," Leana replied, a little more harshly than she intended.

As soon as she got to her room, Leana flopped into bed, not even bothering to change clothes more than slipping her jeans and shoes off.


	5. Chapter 5

Yay for late-night writing! Enjoy~

Also, I am sorry for any typos or mistakes. My proofreader is not here at the moment, so I had to post this without her.

* * *

The next morning, Leana woke up and slipped on some fresh clothes before heading downstairs. She made sure to cover up what injuries she could, but of course, there wasn't much she could do about her black eye. Still, she made herself presentable and brushed her hair, but she didn't bother with makeup.

Once Leana was downstairs and heading for the kitchen, Janet came up behind her. "Hey, Leana!" she greeted. Leana gave a yell of pain, as Janet had grabbed her arm in the same place as the creep from the night before. Janet jerked her hands away, startled.

"Sorry," Leana apologized. "You hear about last night?"

"Thor mentioned something about Clint not knowing how to treat a lady, but he just keeps ranting if I try to ask. I was just about to ask you." She noticed the black eye. "That looks painful."

As she got food for herself, Leana told Janet the whole story, showing her the bruise on her arm as well.

"Ouch, rough night," Janet commented when Leana finished.

"Yeah," Leana sighed. "Though, when Clint gets here, I have a feeling I should get to him before Thor does."

"Thor, don't break Clint!" Janet called into the next room.

"I only mean to teach him manners!" Thor called back.

"What's all this yelling about?" Tony asked, walking into the dining room.

"Long story," Leana told him with a wave.

"Is it connected to that black eye of yours?" Leana just groaned and put her head in her hands.

"That would be a yes in girl language," Janet told Tony.

"I know girls. I know their language," Tony stated. "What happened?"

"Lesson number two in girl language: 'Long story' accompanied by a hand wave means 'I don't want to talk about it,'" Janet said, raising an eyebrow.

"Right, I knew that," Tony tried to defend himself.

Before long, all the Avengers were at the mansion except for Clint. Word got around pretty quickly that something happened last night, and that Clint was involved, but Janet and remained the only one who knew the full story, other than Leana herself. Thor knew the abridged version, but he didn't share much.

Eventually, Clint walked into the mansion, and all eyes were on him. "Did that archer person try to kill another second-rate villain?" he asked.

Thor shook his head. "Friend Clint. Even I, in my most naive days, always treated a lady with respect!"

Clint looked confused, before getting angry. "What did she say about me?"

Leana speed-walked over, head low so that her hair would cover her black eye. "Guys, I can handle this," she said, taking hold of Clint's arm and trying to drag him off. However, Clint just pulled his arm back.

"Whatever you can say to me, you can say in front of the Avengers."

"What happened?" Tony insisted. "Yesterday you two were pretty good friends!"

"You... what all did you tell them?" Clint asked.

"Nothing," Leana replied, lifting her head, showing him her black eye. "Well, Jan knows the full story. Thor got the short version. The rest just saw my eye, heard Thor ranting about teaching you manners, and made their own conclusions."

"Okay, we'll talk in private," Clint resigned. They went up to Leana's room and closed the door.

"Clint, I'm really sorry," Leana apologized, feeling her eyes start to water. "I know you had every right to be angry with me. I got jealous for absolutely no reason. I have no idea what came over me."

"My guess is the alcohol."

"Well, yeah, probably. And you're pretty attractive. I guess the combination turned me into a ball of jealousness which I balled up until it exploded in our faces."

"Fair enough. And where does the black eye come in?"

Leana told him what had happened on her walk home.

"I am so sorry!" Clint said, appalled. "I should've never left you alone like that. I stand by what I said, but I wasn't thinking when I left."

"Neither of us were thinking. What do you think about putting last night behind us?"

"Just as long as we don't go drinking together again."

Leana laughed. "Deal."

"Really, though, I can't believe I let that happen to you. Did you get yourself checked to make sure you didn't get a concussion?"

"No, I'm fine. I've suffered worse hits to the head."

"You sound like me."

"You two kiss and make up yet?" Tony called through the door.

"Yes, without the kissing," Clint replied. "You need anything?"

"Batroc's waking up. I figured it'd be a good idea for you to be there when we question him."

Leana looked at Clint, confused. "Isn't that the guy you went after yesterday?"

"Yeah, someone else beat us there. We want to figure out who."

"Have fun. I'll let the others know we're on good terms now."

Clint got up and walked out the door with a wave, greeting Tony as he passed.

* * *

"Right in here," a nurse said, indicating the room. The three Avengers who had found Batroc filed into his hospital room.

"What are you doing here?" Batroc snarled in his French accent.

"We're here to ask you a few questions," Steve stated. "Did you see who it was who attacked you?"

"Yes, I saw. Don't know his name." His eyes narrowed on Clint. "Looked like Hawkeye. Wasn't him, though."

"So, there's some guy who looks like me, doing my shtick," Clint mused.

A different nurse poked her head into the room. "Avengers? You might want to look at this," she said, waving for them to follow.

The Avengers were led into another room, where Whirlwind was laying on the bed, looking to be in the same shape as Batroc. "Arrows?" Clint asked.

"Yeah," the nurse replied with a nod. "A boy named Peter called him in. Apparently he found this guy while walking home."

"Let's see if we can find anything that might help us find our copycat." Tony suggested. "Clint, grab a glove and cut some of the bloody fabric off and hope there's some that's not Whirlwind's. Steve, you and I look for anything else that seems like it doesn't belong to Whirlwind."

When the group was done, they had collected blood samples, but Tony and Steve were unsuccessful at finding anything else.

"You guys go ahead with the sample," Clint told Tony and Steve, handing them the bag with the blood samples. "I have to do something before I head back to the mansion."

* * *

"Hey, there you are!" Leana greeted Clint as he walked through the door into the mansion. She was currently sitting on the couch with Thor, and Steve was sitting in a chair nearby.

"Hi, Leana," Clint greeted. "Yeah, I stopped off at the store on the way back." He held up a bag that he was carrying in one hand.

"Oh? Whatcha get?"

"An apology gift." Clint handed the bag to Leana, who took it. By now, both Thor and Steve were watching with interest.

"You didn't have to," Leana insisted. Clint just shrugged and waited for her to open it up. She reached into the bag and pulled out a box. Inside the box was a charm bracelet. Leana grinned.

"Each charm represents a different Avenger," Clint stated.

Leana sprung up from the couch and gave Clint a big hug. "Thank you! I love it, and I'm not much of jewelry person. But this, I'll wear all the time." She slipped the bracelet over her hand and onto her wrist, before looking at all the charms. There was a green H for Hulk, a robot for Tony, a red, white, and blue star for Steve, a lightning bolt for Thor, an ant for Hank, a bumblebee for Janet, a black cat face for T'Challa, and finally a bow and arrow for Clint. However, there was one more charm Leana couldn't figure out: a strawberry.

"That one is you," Clint explained. "I've noticed you like a lot of strawberry-flavored stuff."

"Perfect!" Leana chimed.

"Oh, Bruce and Hank are downstairs working on the blood samples," Steve told Clint.

"I'll go see how they're doing. See ya later, Leana," Clint said, ruffling Leana's hair before walking towards the elevator.

"Why is your face turning red, Leana?" Thor asked.

"Oh god, is my blush that noticeable?" Leana asked, covering her cheeks with her hands. Of course, Thor pointing out her blush only made her blush deeper.

* * *

Down in the lab, Bruce was typing data into a computer while Hank stared at test tubes with red liquid, presumably the blood, in them.

"Figured anything out?" Clint asked, joining the two in the room.

"Blood type A positive," Hank stated. "That's all we've managed to get, though. Even then, it was surprising we managed to get that much, as most of the blood was Whirlwind's."

"You try DNA profiling, or something?" Clint asked.

"Can't," Bruce said. "Red blood cells don't have DNA. We'd have to get a tissue sample."

"Well, A positive isn't exactly a lot to go off of," Clint stated.

"Considering the list of people in our database with that blood type is pretty long," Bruce said, pulling up said list. "And who knows who all we don't have listed who might have that type. Oh, look, you're up there." He pointed to the name Clint Barton.

"Well, that's one person you can cross off the list." Clint thought for a moment. "Wait, I grabbed a couple of the arrows from the first crime scene! Sometimes inexperienced archers can lose a layer of skin when firing an arrow."

"Well, that might help," Bruce agreed. Clint ran off to get the arrows, returning shortly after.

"We'll need a sample of your DNA, as some of your skin cells may have gotten on the arrows when you handled them," Hank stated. He had Clint swab the inside of his cheek. "I'll let you know what we find."

With the two scientists back to work, Clint left. He went upstairs to hang out with Thor, Steve, and Leana before heading home.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, the results of the DNA test were in. Bruce and Hank called Tony, Steve, and Clint into the lab. The results were up on the large computer screen. To the untrained eye, they looked to just be a series of small lines. The columns were labeled C, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

"This is what Bruce and I found," Hank said, pointing up at the screen. "Column C is the sample we took from Clint. The lines from samples one, three, and four all match up perfectly with Clint's, so those samples were cases where his DNA had gotten on the arrows when he picked them up."

"Columns two and five also lined up very closely to Clint's DNA, so we thought that we'd need to get more samples," Bruce added. "However, there are slight variations. These variations are constant between two and five, and are constantly absent in all of the other samples."

"In English?" Clint prompted.

"The attacker… is genetically similar to you, Clint," Bruce stated. "I ran the data through the database, but there was no match. I can't say for sure who it is, but he or she is related to you. It's a close relation at that."

"That's impossible!" Clint protested. "Both my parents are dead, and my brother…" there was a look of realization on his face. "Oh God, it might be my brother."

"Brother? This never came up before," Tony pointed out to him.

"Barney Barton. He's my older brother," Clint explained. "He trained in the circus with me, but he was never interested in the bow and arrow. It was always swords with him. While I left Trick Shot and the Swordsman when I found out about their criminal activities, Barney embraced life as a felon. I haven't seen him since I left the carnival."

Hank nodded. "He's a very likely candidate, then," he stated. "He could've taken up the bow and arrow in that time."

"Don't know why, but I think he's trying to get my attention," Clint said.

* * *

After discussing possible motivations and plans to catch Barney with the others, Clint came upstairs to see Leana watching TV. "Hey, Leana. Whatcha watching?" he asked.

"Lord of the Rings," Leana replied. "I've never seen these movies all the way through, and it was on."

"What? You've never seen them?" Clint sounded shocked as he took the seat next to her.

"Never got around to it." Leana shrugged.

"If you could be one of the creatures from the movies, which would you pick?"

"Oh, elf, totally," Leana replied. "I feel kinda silly saying this to an archer, but I've always wanted to learn how to use a bow and arrow."

Clint seemed amused. "Oh? Not because of me, is it?"

"It was in elementary school. Summer camp. I tried archery, but I epically failed. I've never had the chance to try again, but I've wanted to."

"Well, now you have the chance!" There was a pause. "Well, after the movies, of course. Everyone has to watch these movies at least once before they die."

"Are you seriously going to teach me archery?"

"Yes, now shush, I'm trying to watch."

* * *

"Alright, so body perpendicular to the target, feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back, back straight," Clint ordered. Leana did as she was told, straightening her back even more when Clint pulled back on her shoulders. "Put the notch in the back of the arrow over the string; pull back the string as far as you can as you lift the bow." Leana did this part rather clumsily, as she almost dropped the arrow. However, she managed to keep it up. "Now point at your target and when you think it's aimed well, you let go of the arrow and string."

Leana let the arrow fly. She watched as it sailed towards the target… before dropping out of the air and landing on the ground a foot away. "Well, that didn't work," Leana commented.

"You didn't give it enough power," Clint told her. "You have to pull back farther."

"Not as easy as you make it look," Leana said. Clint handed her another arrow, and she tried again. Her aim was extremely shaky due to using all her strength to pull back on the string. She fired, and this time the arrow actually got to the target, but instead of hitting it, it sailed just under.

"Improvement," Clint commented with a nod. "At this pace, you'll get to my level by the time you turn 100."

Leana stuck her tongue out at him. "One more, then my arms will need a rest," Leana stated, taking a third arrow. Again she fired and again it sailed under the target, but it was even farther than last time. "Okay, break time."

Clint laughed. "What if you actually need to use these skills? The enemy won't stop after three misses," he said, though he went over to the side of the training arena and sat on the bench.

"I think resting would be the least of my worries in that case." Leana laughed. "How do you do it? How can you have what would normally be considered a novelty weapon and still be equal on a team that includes, well, Thor and the Hulk?"

"Practice." Clint stated. "My practice is what makes me special."

"So you don't miss."

Clint nodded. "If I do, I'll just be another archer. The Avengers depend on my marksmanship to always be on-target."

"You're probably always the first attacked, though, aren't you?"

"Not always, but yeah, the bad guys usually single either me or Cap out before anyone else. What, you worried about me?"

Leana blushed and looked down at the ground. "Sorry," she apologized for lack of response.

"Don't be. I'm flattered."

Leana looked back up at him. "I've been trying not to flirt. I never really learned where the line is between being nice and flirting. With the other guys, I don't have to worry: Tony's used to that kind of thing, and the others don't notice either way. I get awkward when I'm consciously trying not to flirt, and I've already gotten in trouble once with you because of it."

"That wasn't flirting when we had that argument. That was jealousy. Flirting, I have no problem with. Especially if it's from you." He reached over to ruffle Leana's hair.

As Leana straightened her hair back out, she raised an eyebrow at Clint. "What do you mean 'especially if it's from me'?"

"You're my first real friend outside the Avengers. I feel really comfortable around you," Clint told her. "You're pretty much part of the Avengers family by now. I just hope you don't get caught up in the typical Avengers craziness."

_I thought it was the girl who's supposed to "friendzone" the guy, _Leana thought, amused. "Besides Janet, you're the Avenger that I'm closest friends with," she told him. "And if I do get caught up in the craziness?"

"You'll be glad you have me for a friend."

* * *

_I know Clint stressed "friend" but this feels almost like a date. Might just be the fangirl in me talking, though,_ Leana thought. Her and Clint were sitting in a restaurant, eating dinner, since Leana had voiced both her hunger and her reluctance to make herself something to eat again.

"You weren't kidding when you said you would always wear that thing," Clint commented, indicating Leana's charm bracelet.

"Of course!" Leana replied. "I only take it off when I have to."

"Glad you like it! It was kinda difficult finding-" He trailed off, seemingly distracted by something behind Leana. "Sorry, thought I saw someone I knew. It was kinda difficult finding charms to represent everyone."

Leana looked over her shoulder curiously. "Who did you think you saw?"

"No one you know," Clint replied, waving it off. "And hopefully not someone you'll ever get to meet.

The next morning, all the Avengers had been called out. Something about multiple minor superheroes and even some non-superpowered criminals being killed or nearly killed by arrows. The Avengers all went out looking, deciding that they couldn't wait for him to come to them. When Leana asked about what was going on, she didn't get a more specific answer than that.

* * *

Leana was now sitting at the dining room table, fixing a charm on her bracelet that had gotten loose. As soon as she finished, she slipped the bracelet back on and got up to find something else to do while everyone was away. However, as she got into the living room, there was a knock on the door. Leana paused, wondering if she should answer it. She checked the monitor by the door. There was something familiar about the red-haired man, though she couldn't place her finger on it. She opened the door.

"Hello?" she greeted uncertainly. She finally figured out why he seemed so familiar: he looks like someone she knows. However, before she could place exactly who, the man lunged forward and placed something over her nose and mouth, causing her to black out.


	7. Chapter 7

I have a couple things I would like to say before I get to the chapter:

1. The character of Barney Barton is taken from the comics. I did not come up with him.

2. This chapter ends on a note that makes it seem like it's the end. However, **IT IS NOT.** I still have one or two more chapters planned for this thing.

* * *

The Avengers returned to the mansion, unsuccessful with their search.

"You know, I wish he'd just call, like a normal brother," Clint commented as Tony opened the door and let the group in.

"Leana, we're home!" Janet called through the house. She listened for a reply, which never came. "Leana?"

Thor headed to the kitchen, and noticed a piece of paper on the table. "There's a note in here!" he called to the others. As Clint, Janet, Tony, and Steve filed in to look, Thor grabbed a piece of chicken to munch on before joining them.

Clint picked up the note, all color leaving his face as he read it. "Oh no," was all he managed to say.

"What is it?" Steve asked. Clint handed him the note, which Steve read off for the others.

_Dear Clint,_

_I'm sure by now you've seen the presents I've left for you and your "friends". Proud of me? After you left, I took up training with your old master, Trick Shot. He taught me some pretty valuable things. I don't see why you left him. He's dead now. A tragedy, I know._

_Now, down to business. I have your little girlfriend. I'm surprised, she put up less of a fight than I expected. You can do better, can't you? In any case, I'm sure you care about this girl. I'm offering you this deal: I let her go, if you join me. My methods seem more productive in stopping crime than the Avengers'. How many times have you fought those guys? I doubt they'll be causing you much trouble from now on. Together, we'll be feared throughout the criminal underworld._

_I'm at the old carnival. Do you even remember the place? It's seen better days, that's for sure. I'm in the old storage room at the back of the place. It's the least run-down building on the grounds, and is where I've set up shop. Come anytime, but the longer you wait, the more likely I'll forget to make sure the girl doesn't die._

_Sincerely, _

_Your brother, Barney Barton, AKA Trickshot._

"Girlfriend?" Tony scoffed. "I didn't know-"

"Shut up, Stark!" Clint snapped, on the verge of tears. "Leana has been kidnapped and you don't have anything to say other than a joke?"

"What is the plan of attack?" Thor asked.

"He never said to come alone," Janet pointed out.

"What, that's not just implied by now?" Tony asked.

"He just wants me there," Clint said. "I'm going."

"We're coming, too," Steve told him. "Someone bullies one of us, he better be ready to take on the whole team."

"My brother, my problem," Clint stated, trying to push himself through the others to the door.

"But Leana's _our _friend," Janet said. "If not the whole team, let us come with. We'll get Leana out of there, and if we're lucky, we'll get Barney into jail, too."

"And even if you do try to go without us, you know we'll be able to follow you anyways," Tony stated. "So might as well invite us along. It'll end up the same way."

Clint sighed. "Fine. Under one condition: we leave right this moment." Tony nodded, and the group headed towards the Blackbird, Thor throwing the chicken bone away as he passed the garbage.

* * *

Just a couple minutes later, the jet landed in the middle of the abandoned carnival. Clint led the way, followed by Steve, Tony, Janet, and Thor.

"Here's the plan," Steve said, and the others stopped to look at him. "Clint goes in and talks to Barney. Keep him distracted. Janet sneaks in and frees Leana. If you need backup, Tony, Thor and I will be waiting just outside." Everyone nodded, showing they understood. Janet shrunk down and flew right behind Clint, as the archer walked into the designated building.

Barney whistled. "Well, that was quick," he commented. "She that important to you?"

Clint looked around the room. The whole far wall was electronics: monitors, computers, etc. He noticed a couple of the monitors showed the grounds, so he must know that Clint didn't come alone. In the back corner was a chair, where Leana was tied up with her hands behind her back and ropes binding her legs together. She was left un-blindfolded, however, and seemed terrified.

"She's my friend, of course she's important to me," Clint retorted, hoping that Janet was on her way to untie Leana. "But I'm not going to join you."

"That's too bad," Barney said, pretending to sound hurt. "Then I guess I'll just have to hold on to the girl. I'm sure she'll have her uses. Oh, and if your 'friends' outside decide to join us, I have this place set to blow." He held up a handheld device that was apparently the control for the explosive. There were two buttons, one larger than the other.

Janet was hard at work on the rope. However, the knots were extremely tight, and she tweaked a muscle trying to pull one loose. "Ow!" she said, forgetting that she had to stay quiet.

"Sounds like you already brought someone in," Barney commented, pressing the smaller of the two buttons. Both Leana and Janet cried out in pain as the chair gave off an electric charge.

That infuriated Clint. "This is why I'll never join you!" he exclaimed. Before Barney even noticed what was going on, Clint pulled out his bow and an arrow and fired, knocking the remote out of his hand and breaking it. "Guys, if you want to fight, come on in!" Clint called to the other Avengers.

Sure enough, the others charged in. "Four against one? That doesn't seem very fair," Barney commented, his tone of voice showing that he didn't really care. He fired his own arrows at the Avengers, setting off the fight.

Janet continued to work on the ropes, now that she could do so in her normal size, since she didn't have to worry about being stealthy. Barney tried to shoot an arrow at her, but it was blocked by Steve.

Barney's attention was grabbed by Tony, who tried to blast at him with his repulsors. However, Barney dodged, getting in close to Tony, quickly firing off a trick arrow that stuck to the leg of the armor and sent a shock through the armor. Tony yelled in pain and dropped to the ground, the arrow effectively disrupting the functions of the suit. Barney's small victory was short-lived, as he soon had to dodge Thor's hammer.

"Surrender to the might of Thor!" the god boomed as his hammer boomeranged to his hand.

"I have other plans," Barney said, shooting an arrow towards both Thor and Clint before running over to get Janet and Steve away from Leana. Clint readied another arrow and took aim; but the arrow Trickshot had fired set off a small explosion, sending boxes filled with who-knows-what tumbling down onto the two Avengers. Clint ended up firing as he fell, which threw off his aim.

Clint watched in horror as the arrow DIDN'T hit its intended target, and instead sailed into a piece of machinery on the far wall. There was a spark, and then the machine caught on fire. This was apparently enough to set off the explosives in the room, starting with those on the side that Leana was on. She screamed.

"Leana!" Clint shouted as the ceiling caved in on her. He tried to run over, but Tony managed to drag him away, pulling him back outside with the other Avengers. The whole building collapsed, and Thor even had to tear off his cape because some of it became caught in the rubble.

As soon as everything settled, Tony let Clint run back out into the mess to shift through, on the faint hope Leana was alive. He managed to find her arm in the rubble - barely recognizable due to the blood and crushed bones. There was no way she could've survived. A proper burial would've even proved difficult, due to how mangled her body must be. Clint began to cry, not letting anyone near him.

Janet shrunk down to her small size and flew between the chunks of cement that had made up the building. She came out carrying Leana's charm bracelet. However, she couldn't give it to Clint, since whenever she tried, he'd shoo her away.

Janet and Steve had eventually managed to drag Clint away from the rubble. However, when they got back to the Avengers mansion, he shut himself in his room and refused to talk to anyone. There was a cloud of depression over the rest of the Avengers as well. Cap seemed to be the next most depressed about it, having flashbacks to losing Bucky. However, this time it seemed even more real due to actually seeing part of the body. Janet would not let go of the charm bracelet as if her life depended on it. She didn't even put it on - she just clutched it in her hand and occasionally stared at it. Tony was the one to spread the news to Bruce, T'Challa, Hank and even Fury. Bruce seemed overwhelmed by the news and had a hard time keeping the Hulk under control, but he managed to. Thor grieved in his own quiet, stoic way, as did Hank.

Janet went once again to try to get Clint to get out of his room. "There's something you should probably have."

Clint opened the door with enough force to startle Janet. "What? What do you have?" he asked, obviously irritated. Janet wordlessly held out the charm bracelet, which Clint took. It caused him to have to fight to hold back more tears, and he sat down on his bed, keeping the door open. Janet cautiously walked in, her own face still stained from tears. "It's my fault," Clint realized. "I missed my shot, and it caused the whole damn building to collapse."

"Those boxes fell into you," Janet pointed out. "It wasn't your fault you missed the shot."

"If I had fired just one moment earlier, or waited just one moment, Leana would be alive," Clint stated. "I don't miss. I CAN'T miss. Because then, stuff like this happens." He was clutching the bracelet so hard that the charms dug into his skin, the bow and arrow charm, due to it being the sharpest of the charms, managed to draw blood without Clint even noticing.


	8. Chapter 8

The final chapter! However, even though this concludes the main story, I may add one more optional bonus chapter.

* * *

It was the day after Leana's death, and everyone still felt the cloud of sadness. Tony had decided to check out the rubble, to see if his suit picked up anything interesting. However, what he didn't find was even more interesting than what he did.

He returned to the Avengers mansion to report his findings. "Barney is still alive," he announced. "There was only one body under all the rubble. Barney had a back way out."

Clint scowled and stood up, pounding the table as he did so. He turned to leave the room, grabbing his bow and quiver as he walked.

"Clint!" Tony called out. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"Out," Clint replied. "I'm going alone this time."

"But, Clint-" Steve started.

"No, alright?" Clint snapped, turning around. "I brought the rest of you guys along last time and it ended horribly. I'm going to settle this with Barney once and for all. I don't want to waste my arrows on you guys, but if you try to follow me or stop me, I will." He stared at the others for a moment to see if anyone else had a protest. When no one spoke up, he turned and left the room.

* * *

Clint searched around for Barney, starting again at the fairgrounds. He found his brother asleep on one of the old benches. Clint fired an arrow, which grazed Barney's shoulder in an attempt to wake him up.

Barney jumped awake, before turning and smirking. "Hi there, little brother," he greeted, despite the fact he was staring up the shaft of another arrow at Clint.

"I am not here for chitchat," Clint stated. "Because of you, my good friend is dead. I am not about to take that sitting down."

Barney chuckled. "You really have no idea what you're dealing with, Clint. Fine. What are you going to do? I thought the Avengers had a strict 'no killing unless absolutely necessary' policy. If they don't, what have I been fighting all this time?"

"If you haven't noticed, I am not the Avengers." Clint released his arrow. Barney dodged, though the arrow still managed to make a nasty gash on his arm.

"Did-did you just threaten to kill me?" Barney asked, sounding shocked. He grabbed his own bow and arrows, before dodging another of Clint's shots. He was about to gloat, before the arrow exploded, sending Barney flying forward towards Clint. He landed on his hands and knees in front of his younger brother, and Clint whacked the side of his head with his bow.

"It's your fault Leana's dead. Give me one reason I shouldn't put an arrow through your heart right now."

"Is it really _my_ fault?" Barney slyly asked. "If I remember correctly, it was your arrow that set off the explosions, not mine." This statement caught Clint off-guard, and Barney took the moment of hesitation to disarm him, tossing the bow aside. "Just you and me, brother."

Clint effortlessly transitioned from an archery stance to one for hand-to-hand combat. With a shout, Clint spun and kicked, knocking Barney back.

"Yes, it _is_ your fault," Clint spat. "_You_ kidnapped her, _you_ planted the explosives, _you_ set those boxes tumbling on me that threw off my shot." Clint grabbed an arrow from his quiver and lunged, aiming to put the arrow through Barney's chest by hand. Barney, however, caught Clint's hand and broke the arrow before twisting it behind his back.

"Face it Clint, you never could beat me at hand-to-hand," Barney taunted. He threw Clint down onto the ground. Clint grunted in pain, landing on his other arm painfully, dislocating his shoulder. Now, even if he did get his bow back, he wouldn't be able to use it without being creative.

"I've had some practice since last time," Clint stated, getting up and cradling his hurt shoulder.

"Why don't you just stay down?" Barney hooked his foot around Clint's ankle and punched. aiming to send Clint back to the ground. However, Clint dodged the punch and un-hooked his foot, maneuvering behind his larger brother.

"You don't know me any more, do you?" Clint asked, pulling out another of his arrows and latching it onto Barney's back. "I don't give up. Learned that from Captain America." Barney yanked the arrow off his back, though he didn't have time to let go of it. Clint quickly backtracked, getting out of the blast zone before the arrow blew up, sending Barney flying back and burning him. "Unfortunately for you, I pick and chose which of Cap's lessons I listen to."

"Clint, wait," Barney coughed out in a raspy voice. "You don't know-"

"Yes, I do know. I know you are reckless, ruthless, and the world and I would be better off without you." As he spoke, Clint picked up his bow. He held his bow with is injured arm as he grabbed a normal, non-trick arrow from his quiver and set it. However since he couldn't put any strain on his injured arm, he passed the bow to his unhurt arm, held the arrow and string with his teeth and aimed, before firing the arrow right in-between Barney's ribs, through his heart.

There was a gasp behind Clint, followed by a muffled yell. Surprised, Clint turned.

There stood Leana. She looked plenty worse-for-wear and needed a shower, her hair was messy and covered in dirt, but she otherwise looked fine, save for the horrified expression on her face.

"Leana?" Clint breathed, dropping his bow in shock.

"You-you killed your own brother!" Leana said, removing her hands from her mouth. "He's a villain, sure, but isn't this the kind of thing the Avengers were just trying to prevent?"

However, Leana's words fell on deaf ears. Clint walked up to her when she finished speaking and put a hand on her face. "How are you alive?" he asked, eyes starting to tear up.

"What do you mean?" Leana asked. "After Barney took me, he tied me up in his little lair. I managed to slip my hands out of the ropes and escape. I tried to get as far as I could and camped out. I tried to get back to the mansion, but I managed to get lost and wander back here, where I saw the end of the fight."

"But... I saw you. You were tied up, and the building collapsed, crushing you. I-I thought you were dead. We all did. That's why, well..." He nodded over to Barney's body.

Leana shook her head. "It wasn't me." By then, tears started falling down her cheeks and she was shaking. Between the happiness and relief of being rescued, her exhaustion catching up with her, the revelation that the Avengers were grieving over her when she was in fact alive, and the indescribable mix of emotions that came from just witnessing her kidnapper being killed, she had no idea what to do or think. Clint pulled her into a large, one-armed hug, trying to be mindful of his hurt arm. Leana returned the hug, burying her face into his shoulder.

Still, there was a doubt in the back of Clint's mind. How does he know that this isn't some trick? He decided to test her. "What happened to your bracelet?" he asked, pulling out of the hug and lifting Leana's wrist.

"It fell off when I slipped out of the ropes," Leana replied. She looked at the rubble. "It's probably long gone, isn't it?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Clint said.

Leana's face lit up. "I'll go look!" she said, running off to the remnants of the building.

"Leana, wait, no!" Clint chased after her, but it was too late, she saw the crushed arm, still uncovered and now with who-knows-what on it.

"Oh God," Leana said, turning away the moment she saw it, feeling sick to her stomach. "What is that?"

"Whatever was impersonating you. Come on, let's get you back to the mansion." Leana nodded and walked off, while Clint hung behind, staring at the arm. "Stay there for a moment, Leana. I want to check something." Clint walked over and overturned a couple more pieces of cement, though with difficulty due to only using on arm, revealing a little more of the body. He found the visible skin to be unusually green. Somehow, Barney had gotten a Skrull to impersonate Leana after Leana herself had run off.

* * *

Leana rode on the back of Clint's skycycle back to the Avengers mansion. She held onto Clint tighter than was strictly necessary, and when they landed, Leana was still shaking with emotion, now including excitement to see everyone's reactions when they see her.

Clint led the way into the mansion, and he didn't exactly get a warm welcome. Tony stood, leaning against the doorway into the living room. "Well?" he asked, giving Clint a stony expression.

Clint simply stepped aside, revealing Leana. The girl gave a smile and a wave. Tony looked utterly shocked. "What? How?" he asked, looking between Leana and Clint.

"It was a Skrull," Clint simply stated.

"Barney?" Tony asked, going back to the point.

Clint's face fell. "Dead." Tony shook his head in disappointment.

Janet walked by, though she made a double-take when she noticed Leana. "You're alive? How...?"

"Skrulls," Leana, Clint, and Tony replied in unison. Janet grinned and ran over, nearly knocking Leana to the ground in a hug.

After eating and drinking a full glass of water, Leana took a shower and brushed her hair, which took annoyingly long. While she did so, Steve popped Clint's shoulder back in its socket and he filled the other Avengers in on what had happened.

When Leana was all clean and wearing new clothes, she came downstairs and was met by a group hug from all the Avengers, save for T'Challa, who never shows affection, and Clint, who already got his hug.

After the group hug broke up, Clint walked over, hands behind his back. "Leana, close your eyes and hold out your hand," he instructed. Leana did just that. However, instead of something being placed in her hand like she was expecting, something was placed around it. "Open." She opened her eyes and grinned when she saw the charm bracelet.

"Thank you!" Leana exclaimed, staring at it.

"Janet found it in the rubble right after the building collapsed," Clint explained.

Leana squinted. "Why is there red on here?"

"I gripped it a little too tightly." Clint pointed to his hand, where a scab had formed.

"I tried to clean it, but I couldn't get into the small holes," Janet added.

Leana laughed, though tears started to form in her eyes again. "I love you guys. I really do. And I am so happy you took me in. You guys are all great friends, even you, Panther."

"But what about all the excitement?" Clint asked, wiping a tear from Leana's face.

"What's life without a little risk?"


	9. Bonus 1

Guess who's back!

Okay, this chapter is totally optional if you want to read it or not. It really doesn't add much to the story, it's just wish fulfillment that I decided to share.

I plan on posting a second bonus chapter, but that one will be VERY different, and hopefully very funny as well.

* * *

Later that day, Leana was sitting on the couch, watching TV. Her mind reeled with all of that day's events, up to and including to her question, "What's life without a little risk?"

"Hey, Leann," Clint greeted, walking over. "What do you say to a second archery lesson?"

"Sure," Leana agreed with a nod. She got up to follow Clint downstairs to the training arena. Clint handed her a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Okay, first I just want to see how far you can pull the string back without an arrow to deal with," Clint instructed. Leana took her stance and pulled the string back as far as she could. "Here, let's try a finger guard," the archer suggested. He went over and grabbed a specially-made glove off a shelf and putting it on Leana's hand for her. She tried again to pull on the string, able to now pull it back more.

"How's this?" Leana asked.

"Better, but you want your hand to be by your cheek," Clint said. He put one hand on the bow directly below Leana's and stood behind her, wrapping his other arm around to help her pull back on the string. "Right there." He let go and stepped back, completely unaware of how red Leana's cheeks had become. Leana relaxed her grip on the string, before pulling again, trying to get to the same point Clint had had helped her reach.

"Well, that's quite the workout," Leana commented, releasing the string again.

"And yet, I've had people ask how I get my arms so strong," Clint joked. He plucked an arrow from the quiver and handed it to Leana. "Get ready to fire, but don't until I tell you to."

Leana nodded and took the arrow. She was a little clumsy getting it on the string but managed, and lifted the bow, aiming it at the target.

"Aim slightly higher than the target," Clint instructed, lifting Leana's arm slightly. She wondered if he was doing all this hands-on instruction to purposely make her swoon. "Fire!" Leana let go of the string, grinning when the arrow actually hit the target. It wasn't a bulls-eye, but it was still an improvement. Clint and Leana high-fived. "Now you just have to be able to do that without my help."

"Why this sudden emphasis on making sure I can use a bow and arrow?" Leana asked. "The first lesson was more for fun than anything, but this time seems more serious."

Clint went over and sat down on the bench, patting the seat next to him. Leana walked over and sat, waiting for the (apparently long, if he wanted to sit down) reply.

"The Avengers aren't like other superheroes. We don't have secret identities like Spider-Man or Iron Fist," he stated. "Most of us don't have family that we need to protect. But you, you're an easy target for villains to get to in order to get to the rest of us. It didn't take long for Barney to exploit that, and I'm afraid he won't be the last. I can't tell you to move out, and even if I did, you'd probably still be a target. So, I figure I'll teach you to defend yourself. I've already asked Steve to give you some hand-to-hand lessons, too."

Leana smiled. "Thank you," she thanked. "So, what, is this going to be a regular thing: archery lesson followed by a heart-to-heart?"

"I guess so. I'm not exactly complaining, though."

"Me neither." Leana looked up at Clint, and again, her words from earlier rang through her head. On impulse, she leaned over and gave Clint a peck on the cheek. However, she immediately regretted it and her face turned red. She hoped she didn't just cross a line.

Clint put a hand over the cheek where she had kissed. "Well, wasn't expecting that," he said absently.

"I know. I'm sorry. It was an impulse." Leana buried her face in her hands and turning away to try to hide her blush.

Clint reached over and pulled Leana's hands off her face, turning her towards him as he did so. "It's fine, really," he assured her. "When I thought you were… gone, I realized two things: firstly, I shouldn't get this attached to people, and secondly, I do a lot of things I shouldn't. I'm not the boy scout that Captain America is, after all." He leaned forward and kissed Leana on the lips, much to her surprise. Her heart was pounding so quickly she could feel it against her ribcage. She couldn't believe that just happened, and sat there, mouth open in an attempt to say something but unable to articulate anything.

"Did I steal your voice?" Clint joked, amused. "Here, maybe I can give it back." He kissed her again, this time longer and deeper than the first. However, they broke the kiss when they heard an excited squeal.

"Was that necessary?" T'Challa asked Janet.

"Sorry, but that was so cute!" Janet told him. "Good for you, Leann! You got your man!" She gave Leana a thumb's up.

"I do not understand women," T'Challa commented with a shake of his head.

"Come on, we should give them privacy," Janet said, dragging T'Challa by the arm into the next room.

Leana's attention turned back to Clint. "Okay, what now?" she asked.

"I would say archery, but I think I've ruined your ability to focus on anything for the rest of the day," Clint stated with a half-smile.

"Oh, that was gone with the hands-on approach to teaching," Leana told him.

"So, my next suggestion is walking through the mansion holding hands and see what other reactions we can get."

Leana laughed. "Works for me." She took the archery glove off as Clint stood up. He helped her up off the bench, and the new couple held hands as they went upstairs to join the others.


End file.
